A "Friends" Co-Creator Explained The Lack Of Diversity Was Partially A Result Of The "Time Period" And Her "Ignorance"

The one where they sort of take accountability.

What is the hit '90s sitcom Friends without a discussion of its more than subpar representation and diversity?

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The show is literally set in New York City. Why did they think they could get away with this???

The topic has been rehashed over and over again — with good reason — and co-creator Marta Kauffman is taking partial (sort of?) responsibility for the show's shortcomings.

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"It was, to a certain extent, a product of the time period and of my own ignorance," Kauffman said on an episode of CNN's special History of a Sitcom. "There were Black shows and there were white shows. There weren't a lot of shows that were interracial."

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The irony here is the fact that many have accused the show of ripping off the popular Black sitcom Living Single, which debuted a year earlier.

"I guess at the time I was thinking, 'This is what I know,'" she continued.

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An easy solution would have been hiring writers of color to authentically tell their stories!

But this isn't the first time Marta has addressed Friends' lack of diversity. Last year, during an ATX TV panel, Marta said, "I wish I knew then what I know today. ... I would've made very different decisions."

John Lamparski / Getty Images for Tribeca TV Festival

"It's made me think, 'What can I do differently? How can I run my show in a new way?'" she continued. "And that's something I not only wish I knew when I started showrunning, but I wish I knew all the way up through last year."

Welp. If only...